May 22: 1 Kings 7:1–51; 2 Chronicles 3:15 – 2 Chronicles 4:22

Solomon Builds His Palace – 1 Kings 7:1–12

• Over thirteen years, Solomon builds his palace. All the specifications are given.

The Temple Furnishings – 1 Kings 7:13–51 & 2 Chronicles 3:15 – 2 Chronicles 4:22

• Solomon sends for Hiram king of Tyre, who is the son of a widowed woman from the tribe of Naphtali and man of Tyre. His father was a worker of bronze, so Hiram not only full of wisdom and understanding, but also working in bronze. He does the bronze work for all the bronze pieces in the temple (pillars, bowls, latticeworks, basins and stands, pots and shovels).
• Solomon makes all the golden vessels: the able for the bread of the Presence, lampstands, and other items, including the doors of the temple nave.
• Solomon finishes the temple, then brings the items that David had dedicated and stores them in the house of the Lord.

May 21: 1 Kings 3:16–28; 1 Kings 5:1–18; 2 Chronicles 2:1–18; 1 Kings 6:1–13; 2 Chronicles 3:1–14; 1 Kings 6:14–38

Solomon's Wisdom – 1 Kings 3:16–28

• Two prostitutes who live in the same house come before Solomon, and the first one tells him that they both had babies (three days apart). The second woman rolled over on her son during the night and he died, and the second woman switched the dead baby with the first woman's live baby. The second woman denies this, claiming the live baby is hers.
• Solomon instructs that the living baby be divided in half and a half be given to each woman. The first woman tells him to give the baby to the second woman, but the second woman says to divide the baby. Solomon instructs that the baby be given to the first woman, since she is obviously the child's mother.

Preparations for Building the Temple – 1 Kings 5:1–18 & 2 Chronicles 2:1–18

• Hiram king of Tyre, who loved David, sends his servants to Solomon. Solomon sends word to Hiram that he intends to build a temple now that all his enemies (and David's) have been conquered. Hiram rejoices and tells Solomon that he will send down cedar and cypress timber from Lebanon; in response, Solomon will provide food for Hiram's household. The two make a treaty.
• Solomon sends many men to Lebanon, and to the hill country to mine stone for the temple's foundation. Solomon's and Hiram's builders and the men of Gebal do the cutting and preparing of the timber.

Solomon Builds the Temple – 1 Kings 6:1–13 & 2 Chronicles 3:1–14

• In the 480th year after Israel came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign, in the month of Ziv (the second month), Solomon begins building the temple. All the specifications of the building are given.
• God tells Solomon that if he continues to keep the statutes God gave to David, He will dwell among his children of Israel and will not forsake them.

Solomon Builds the Temple – 1 Kings 6:14–38

• The remainder of the specifications of the temple are given.